We have been reviewing this site for a couple of months now, our story:

 

This will be very familiar to many. Like others, we originally purchased an apartment each on the Estepona Beach & Country Club development. We paid our 30% deposits plus the 7% tax and awaited the build and completion. However, when it became obvious that this development would never get off the ground, and after numerous complaining calls to Ocean View, we were given the option to transfer our deposits to the Gardens of Manilva development. We took them up on this, not wishing to lose our money, visited Spain and chose an apartment each on phase 3. We completed a property movement form and received a letter from Ocean View confirming that our deposits had been transferred.

 

The rest, to most of you, is history. We spoke with Ocean View on a regular basis but unfortunately still received the same info at the end, which was to contact Vera Mates. This we did and to be honest we had replies and even some very nice photographs of the apartments on phase 3. However this is the crux of the matter; - Vera Mates

e mails were fine except for one very minute point, the usual, VERA MATES HAS NO IDEA WHERE OUR DEPOSITS ARE.

 

I can’t believe we were so naive, we assumed, reading the Ocean View pre sales brochure that our deposits would be safe and held in a designated client account until the bank guarantee was in place. It is quite obvious that this guarantee has never been issued. This looked to be confirmed in the solicitors contract pack. Like others we signed and initialled each page and sent back to Ocean View.   

 

We have also e mailed sbs admin and still await a reply (any thoughts on any dealings with the administrator or sbs would be welcome). Also can anyone point us in the direction of a knowledgeable solicitor who will be able to approach the developer on our behalf?

 

We are willing to listen to any ideas with regard to joining a forum for a return of deposit or if heading in the direction of completion, any news on the deposit or availability of mortgages. We are beginning to believe that we have a case to cancel our contacts and in fact in the long term it may be the correct thing to do. At least we would not be committing ourselves to purchasing a property not worth its original value, no mortgage available, and no rental guarantees.

 

We are open to any suggestions, we have noticed that this site contains differing views and it’s true that we still have no idea of the best way to proceed. Any help would be welcome.

 

Sorry if this letter goes over ground that you have already covered.

 

Tony & Mike